While it is tempting after a long flight home to jump into the first ‘minicab’ you see, police are
warning people to be on the lookout for touts; unregistered and often untraceable drivers who
attempt to pick up fares in busy areas.
Particularly at airports, touts prey on newly arrived passengers who may be looking
jet-lagged and are probably not familiar with the cost of goods and services or the local area.
Therefore, as a reputable and trustworthy Maldon taxi company, we feel you need
to know the dangers of touting and how to minimise the risk of becoming a target:
‘Taxi touts’ are typical high-pressure sales people. As soon as they see you pondering over which taxi driver to go with, they will be over to you in a flash telling you why you should choose them. More often than not, they will probably begin their pitch with asking you a couple of question like, ‘where do you want to go?’ or ‘how much do you want to spend?’ This last question is crucial and unless you are serious about using them, never ask for a price! Discussing a price with a tout indicates your interest and makes them even more eager to get you on board.
Always pre-book a minicab and if you don’t know the number of a reputable firm, ask a friend for the number of an Essex cabs firm they trust.
We could almost guarantee that a tout would end up charging you a higher price than the ‘cheaper’ one they quoted and it’s quite possible that you may not even reach your correct destination on time or at all.
It’s a cliché, but if you don’t feel comfortable with the taxi driver that approaches you then trust
your instincts and take another cab.
Pre-booking a cab is strongly advisable, but make sure you check and find out if it’s yours when it arrives before get getting in. Don’t give you name, ask for the name of the customer they have come to pick up and wait for them to tell you, you may also want to ask them what company they work for just to be sure.
Contact our Maldon taxi company to get your quote today!